Multiple station CD-ROM testing system

ABSTRACT

A multiple station CD-ROM testing system includes a conveyance device, a first gripping device, a multiple station testing device having a number of testing stations arranged in a vertically stacked fashion, a second gripping device, a collection device, and a controlling device comprised of a single programmable logic control and a single personal computer. The conveyance device carries the CD-ROMs fed into the system forward. The first gripping device picks up the CD-ROMs on the conveyance device and positions the CD-ROMs into the testing stations of the multiple station testing device to have the CD-ROMs tested therein by means of the controlling device and removes the tested CD-ROMs out of the multiple station testing device and places them back to the conveyance device. The second gripping device picks up the tested CD-ROMs on the conveyance device and transfers the tested CD-ROMs to either a next process if the CD-ROMs pass the test or a flaw product collection device if the CD-ROMs fail the test. Such an arrangement allows a number of testing stations to be integrated into a single testing device in a vertically stacked manner so that a number of CD-ROMs may be tested/inspected at the same time and only a limited floor area is needed to install the single set of testing device. The efficiency and effectiveness of inspection of the CD-ROM products is significantly enhanced and the manufacturing efficiency increased and the cost reduced.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a CD-ROM testing system and inparticular to a CD-ROM testing apparatus in which a plurality of testingstations are arranged in a vertical stack fashion which, together withsoftware controlled operation provided by a processor based controller,provides a compact and efficient multiple station testing apparatus.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The efficiency and use of personal computers have benefited variousbusinesses and household works and nowadays, the personal computers havebeen one of the most popular consumer goods available in the market.With the development of the computer techniques, a CD-ROM which providesa great storage of data and a more efficient access to the stored datahas now become a standard peripheral device of the personal computers.Thus, the manufacture of the CD-ROM and the quality control of themanufactured CD-ROM are one of the most important issues for thecomputer peripheral device manufacturers.

In the conventional manufacturing process of the CD-ROM,testing/inspecting the CD-ROM products is very important and is one ofthe most time-consuming jobs that are encountered in the manufacturingprocess. In the conventional way, the CD-ROM is tested/inspectedmanually by experienced operators on a one by one basis to check all thefunctions and operation of the CD-ROM. Quite obviously, the efficiencyof such a way in inspecting the CD-ROM is quite low and can hardly beimproved.

To overcome such a low efficiency problem, automatic testing apparatushas been suggested, which comprises a personal computer to cooperatewith a programmable logic control for performing test on the CD-ROM inan automatic manner. This, although cutting down the human labour neededin testing/inspecting the CD-ROM, requires an individual set of personalcomputer and programmable logic control for each testing station so thatin case that a number of testing stations are set up, there must be thesame number of sets of personal computers and programmable logiccontrols installed. This may significantly increase the installationcost of the CD-ROM manufacturing line.

Further, setting up a number of such kind of CD-ROM testing stationsalso needs quite a great floor area and this adds the installation feeof the CD-ROM manufacturing line.

Thus, it is desirable to have a CD-ROM testing system which allows onesingle set of personal computer and programmable logic control to beused to handle a number of testing stations and the testing stations arearranged in a compact, space efficient fashion.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a multiplestation CD-ROM testing system which is capable to perform test on anumber of CD-ROMs at the same time. The CD-ROM testing system comprisesa conveyance device, a first gripping device, a multiple station testingdevice having a number of testing stations arranged in a verticallystacked fashion, a second gripping device, a collection device, and acontrolling device comprised of a single programmable logic control anda single personal computer, wherein the conveyance device carries theCD-ROMs fed into the system forward, the first gripping device picks upthe CD-ROMs on the conveyance device and positions the CD-ROMs into thetesting stations of the multiple station testing device to have theCD-ROMs tested therein by means of the controlling device and removesthe tested CD-ROMs out of the multiple station testing device and placesthem back to the conveyance device and the second gripping device picksup the tested CD-ROMs on the conveyance device and transfers the testedCD-ROMs to either a next process if the CD-ROMs pass the test or a flawproduct collection device if the CD-ROMs fail the test. Such anarrangement allows a number of testing stations to be integrated into asingle testing device in a vertically stacked manner so that a number ofCD-ROMs may be tested/inspected at the same time and only a limitedfloor area is needed to install the single set of testing device. Theefficiency and effectiveness of inspection of the CD-ROM products issignificantly enhanced and the manufacturing efficiency increased andthe cost reduced.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a multiple stationCD-ROM testing system having a number of testing stations integratedtogether, wherein a single set of programmable logic control andpersonal computer is sufficient to control the test performed on anumber of CD-ROMs positioned in the number of testing stations so thatthe installation cost is significantly reduced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be better understood from the followingdescription of a preferred embodiment thereof, with reference to theattached drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a multiple station CD-ROM testingsystem in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2A is a front elevational view of a portion of the multiple stationCD-ROM testing system of the present invention, showing the spatialrelationship of the first gripping device and the framework of themultiple station testing device with respect to the conveyance, whereina CD-ROM to be tested is picked up by the first gripping device;

FIG. 2B is a view similar to FIG. 1, but showing the CD-ROM picked up bythe first gripping device is moved into one of the testing stations ofthe multiple station testing device;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the multiple station CD-ROM testingsystem, showing one of the testing stations of the multiple stationtesting device, wherein no CD-ROM is positioned therein;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, but showing a CD-ROM is positionedin the testing station and an optical disk is about to be positionedinto the CD-ROM,

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the conveyance deviceand the second gripping device of the multiple station CD-ROM testingsystem of the present invention, as well as the controlling device; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a portion of the multiple station CD-ROMtesting system of the present invention, showing the second grippingdevice and the collection device thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 1 in which amultiple station CD-ROM testing system in accordance with the presentinvention, generally designated at 10, is shown, the multiple stationCD-ROM testing system 10 comprises a first gripping device 11, aconveyance device 20, a multiple station testing device 30 comprising anumber of testing stations 33, a second gripping device 43, a collectiondevice 55, a controlling device 63 comprised of a programmable logiccontrol (PLC) 64 and a personal computer 65. The multiple station CD-ROMtesting system 10 is adapted to be arranged in a CD-ROM manufacturingline to perform test on the CD-ROMs for quality control purpose.

As shown in the drawings, the first gripping device 11 of the multiplestation CD-ROM testing apparatus 10 comprises a movable pick-up arm 15which is arranged above and transverse to the conveyance device 20 tosequentially pick up a number of CD-ROMs 19 to be tested in a one by onemanner and position the pickedup CD-ROMs 19 into each of the testingstations 33 of the multiple station testing device 30 and to remove theCD-ROMs 19 that have been tested in the testing stations 33 out thereofand put the CD-ROMs 19 back to the conveyance device 20.

The conveyance device 20 conveys a number of CD-ROMs 19 fed into themultiple station CD-ROM testing system 10 in a longitudinal directionalong which the conveyance device 20 extends among the above listeddevices. The conveyance device 20 cooperates with stop plates and guideplates to be further described to precisely position the CD-ROMs atdesired points along the conveyance device 20.

The multiple station testing device 30 has a multiple levelconfiguration, each level accommodating at least and preferably one ofthe testing stations 33, so as to allow the multiple station testingdevice 30 to simultaneously perform test on a number of CD-ROMspositioned within the testing stations 33.

The second gripping device 42 is arranged to pick up the already testedCD-ROMs 19 on the conveyance device 20 and place the so picked-upCD-ROMs 19 into support trays 62 arranged on another area of theconveyance device 20 in case that the CD-ROMs 19 pass the test performedthereon so as to transfer to the next process (not shown) of the CD-ROMmanufacturing line. For those CD-ROMs 19 that fail in the test, thesecond gripping device 42 picks up the failure CD-ROMs 19 from theconveyance device 20 and places them into a collection tray 60 of thecollection device 55 to be forwarded to for example a manualinspection/repairing station (not shown).

The controlling device 63 that is comprised of the programmable logiccontrol 64 and the personal computer 65 is controlled by software, suchas computer programs, loaded in advance in the personal computer 65and/or the programmable logic control 64 to handle and control theoperation of the multiple station CD-ROM test system 10, includingcontrolling the operations of driving elements, such as motors, powercylinders and suction cups, and to control power and signal transmissionof each of the testing stations 33 in performing the test as well asforwarding the test result to the personal computer 65 to be storedtherein.

The parts and constructions of the above listed devices will be nowdescribed. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the first gripping device 11 isarranged on an outer side of the conveyance device 20, comprising twoupright posts 12 fixed at the outer side of the conveyance device 20, anendless belt 13 surrounding two pulleys that are arranged between thetwo upright posts 12 and respectively in the proximity of upper andlower ends of the posts 12, a motor 14 arranged outside the two uprightposts 12 and engaging the belt 13 via the pulleys to drive the belt 13,a pick-up arm 15 having one end fixed to the belt 13 to be movabletherewith and slidably engaging and guided by one of the upright posts12 and an opposite end extending laterally over the conveyance device20, a counter weight 16 slidably engaging the other one of the uprightposts 12 to be symmetrical to the pick-up arm 15 and fixed to the belt13 to be movable therewith and a power cylinder 17 having an end fixedto the pick-up arm 15 and an opposite free end extending laterally overthe conveyance device 20. The power cylinder 17 comprises a plurality ofsuction cups 18 fixed to a cylinder rod (not shown) of the powercylinder 17.

The pick-up arm 15 is driven to move along the upright post 12 when thebelt 13 is moved by the motor 14 under the control of the controllingdevice 63, as indicated by arrow A shown in FIG. 2A or 2B. The counterweight 16 serves to stabilize the movement of the pick-up arm 15 alongthe post 12. The power cylinder 17 and the suction cups 18 are alsocontrolled by the controlling device 63 to extend and retract thesuction cups 18 across the conveyance device 20 as indicated by arrow Bshown in FIG. 2A or 2B. By means of such an arrangement and movement,the first gripping device 11 is capable to move the pick-up arm 15 topick up the CD-ROMs 19 to be tested positioned on the conveyance device20 located below the pickup arm 15 one by one and sequentially positionsthe CD-ROMs 19 into each of the testing stations 33 of the multiplestation testing device 30 and to remove the CD-ROMs 19 that have beentested out of the testing stations 33 and put the CD-ROMs 19 back to theconveyance device 20.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the conveyance device 20 is arranged betweenthe first gripping device 11 and the multiple station testing device 30,comprising a roller conveyor constituted by two support frames 21defining two sides of the conveyance device 20, a plurality of rollers22 supported by and extending between the two support frames 21 and achain 23 disposed along one of the support frames 21 and drivinglyengaging the rollers 22.

Two laterally arranged power cylinders 24 and 25 located under a centralsection of the roller conveyor and having cylinder rods opposite to eachother to respectively drive a longitudinally extending guide plate 27 or28 which is transversely movably fit over some of the rollers 22 of thecentral section. For example, the longitudinally extending guide plates27 and 28 may be provided with holes through which the rollers 22extend. The holes may be greater in diameter than the rollers 22 so asto allow the guide plates 27 and 28 to be movable with respect to therollers 22. The power cylinders 24 and 25 are designed to drive thelongitudinally extending guide plates 27 and 28 in the lateral directionwhich is substantially normal to the moving direction or thelongitudinal direction of the roller conveyor. The guide plates 27 and28 are spaced from each other to define a passage therebetween throughwhich the CD-ROMs carried and moved by the rollers 22 may pass. Thepower cylinders 24 and 25 may be selectively activated to change theposition of the passage relative to the side support frames 21 and thespacing between the two guides plates 27 and 28. This provides a preciseway to guide the movement of the CD-ROMs 19 and to control thepositioning of the moving CD-ROMs 19 under the second gripping device43.

A vertically extending power cylinder 26 arranged under the rollerconveyor and preferably between the two guide plates 27 and 28. Thepower cylinder 26 has a cylinder rod arranged to extend in the verticaldirection to move a laterally extending stop plate 29, which is arrangedbetween two adjacent ones of the rollers 22 and extending in the lateraldirection, with respect to the rollers 22 in the vertical direction forstopping and positioning the CD-ROMs 19 that is moved along the rollerconveyor precisely under the suction cups 18 of the first grippingdevice 11. This allows the suction cups 18 of the first gripping device11 to engage and thus pick up a CD-ROM 19 on the roller conveyor whenthe stop plate 29 is moved to an upper position to stop the CD-ROM 19.When the stop plate 29 is moved to a lower position, the CD-ROM 19 thatis stopped by the stop plate 29 is allowed to resume movement along theconveyance device 20 and pass through the passage defined by thelongitudinally extending guide plates 27 and 28 to reach a positionunder suction cups 49 provided on the second gripping device 43 to bepicked up thereby.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the multiple station testing device 30 isarranged at an inner side of the conveyance device 20, comprising aparallelepiped framework defined by four upright bars 31 and having aninterior space within which a plurality of horizontal floor plates 32are provided and fixed to the upright bars 31 to define a multiple levelconfiguration having a plurality of partitioned spaces, eachaccommodating at least one testing station 33.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the testing stations 33 are identical in bothconfiguration and function and have a construction similar to a personalcomputer, comprising a power supply 34 for supplying power to thetesting station 33, a main board 35 on which circuits andelectrical/electronic devices are arranged to perform control of theoperation of the testing station 33, a power cylinder 36 for driving anarm 37 having a suction cup supported thereon to pick up and transfer anoptic disk 38 between a disk support 42 and the CD-ROM 19 positioned inthe testing station 33, a plurality of support legs 39, preferably four,each having a recess for receiving and holding the CD-ROM 19 thereinconstituting a CD-ROM holder for firmly supporting and holding theCD-ROM 19 to be tested, a set of power and signal connector 40 arrangedon rear side of the CD-ROM holder for supply of power to the CD-ROM 19to be tested and transmission of signals therebetween and a buttonactuator 41 arranged on front side of the CD-ROM holder for actuatingpush buttons of the CD-ROM 19 to be tested in order to test the CD-ROM19.

The optic disk 38 may be test disk which when played by the CD-ROM 19 tobe tested generates a signal representing the information on the opticdisk 38. The signal is transmitted to the controlling device 63 via thepower and signal connector 40 to be analysed thereby for determining ifthe CD-ROM 19 functions well. The display of the optic disk 38 iscontrolled by the button actuator 41 which may be selectively driven toengage and actuate the push buttons that are regularly provided on thefront panel of a CD-ROM. Power is supplied from the power and signalconnector 40 to the CD-ROM 19. In this respect, the power and signalconnector 40 may be movable with respect to the CD-ROM 19 to selectivelyestablish/break engagement between the CD-ROM 19 and the power andsignal connector 40.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 5 and 6, the second gripping device 43 is arrangedon the inner side of the conveyance device 20 and between the multiplestation testing device 30 and the controlling device 63, comprising alaterally extending rail 44 having an end fixed to two of the uprightbars 31 of the multiple station testing device 30 and an opposite endextending transverse to and above the roller conveyor of the conveyancedevice 20, an endless belt 46 surrounding two pulleys 45 disposed on therail 44, a motor 47 fixed to the rail 44 and mechanically coupled to thebelt 46 for driving the belt 46, a suction cup support 48 fixed to thebelt 46 to be movable therewith and slidably engaging the rail 44 to beguided thereby so that the suction cup support 48 is movable along therail 44 by the motor 47 via the belt-pulley coupling, and the suctioncups 49 are mounted to the underside of the suction cup support 48 forpicking up and positioning the CD-ROMs 19 from/to the conveyance device20.

An L-shaped bracket 50 has a first branch fixed to and horizontallyextending from one of the upright bars 31 of the multiple stationtesting device 30 and a second branch extending vertically downward towhich a plate-like rail 51 is fixed, having a central spacing slidablyaccommodating a slide plate 54 which is movable relative to the bracket50 by being sliding within and guided by the plate-like rail 51. A stopplate 53 is fixed to the slide plate 54 and movable therewith so as tobe positionable at such a location with respect to the roller conveyoras to stop the movement of the CD-ROMs 19 along the roller conveyor. Apower cylinder 52 is fixed to the plate-like rail 51 and having acylinder rod coupled to the stop plate 53 so that by means of theguidance of the movement of the slide plate 54 provided by theplate-like rail 51 and by means of the actuation of the power cylinder52, the stop plate 53 may be selectively driven to the position withrespect to the roller conveyor for stopping the movement of the CD-ROMs19. This allows the suction cups 49 to engage and pick up and transferthe CD-ROMs 19 to the support trays 62 and/or the collection tray 60 ofthe collection device 55.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the collection device 55 is arranged underthe second gripping device 43, comprising a screw rod 56 rotatablysupported between two support plates 57 and 58 which are fixed to theupright bars 31 of the multiple station testing device 30, a movablemember 59 arranged between the support plates 57 and 58 and drivinglyengaged by the screw rod 56 with the collection tray 60 mounted theretoto support CD-ROMs 19 stacked thereon, a motor 61 fixed to the supportplate 58 and coupled to the screw rod 56 for driving the screw rod 56 tomove the collection tray 60 along the screw rod 56. By means of such anarrangement, the CD-ROMs transferred by the second gripping device 43may be stacked over the collection tray 60 until the number of theCD-ROMs 19 that are stacked on the collection tray 60 reaches apredetermined value. In this way, the movement of the collection tray 60driven by the motor 61 may be reduced so as to cut down powerconsumption by the motor 61.

The operation of the multiple station CD-ROM testing system 10 may becontrolled by means of pre-loaded software executed in the controllingdevice 63 comprised of the programmable logic control 64 and thepersonal computer 65. The CD-ROMs 19 are continuously fed into themultiple station CD-ROM testing system 10 by being carried by the rollerconveyor of the conveyance device 20 and then picked up, when passingthe under side of the first gripping device 11, and positioned into eachof the testing stations 33 of the multiple station testing device 30 oneby one by the first gripping device 11. At the same time when theCD-ROMs are individually positioned into the testing stations 33, testsare performed on the CD-ROMs that have been deposited into the previoustesting stations 33 under the control of the controlling device 63 andthe first gripping device 11 may move the CD-ROMs that have been testedcompletely out of the testing stations 33 before newly arrived CD-ROMsare put into the testing stations 33. The CD-ROMs 19 removed out of thetesting stations 33 are placed back onto the conveyance device 20 and becarried forward thereby. If the CD-ROMs pass the test, the controllingdevice 63, in response to the test result, uses the second grippingdevice 43 to pick up the CD-ROMs and deposits the CD-ROMs into thesupport trays 62 on the conveyance device 20 and carried thereby to astation (not shown) which performs the next processing steps. On theother hand, if the CD-ROMs fail the test, the second gripping device 43forwards the CD-ROMs to the collection device 55 and stacks the CD-ROMson the collection tray 60 which will then be transferred to for examplea manual inspection/repairing station once the number of the CD-ROMsstacked on the collection tray 60 reaches the pre-determined value.

In the above described operation, the movement of the CD-ROMs along theconveyance device 20 is controlled by the stop plates 29 and 53 andguide plates 27 and 28 driven by the power cylinders 24, 25, 26 and 52in order to precisely positioning the CD-ROMs with respect to the firstand second gripping devices 11 and 43 so as to allow the CD-ROMs to beproperly picked up by the gripping devices 11 and 43.

The present invention provides a multiple station CD-ROM testing systemhaving a multiple level configuration of the arrangement of a number oftesting stations which is compact and reduces the space occupiedthereby. Further, with the provision of the first and second grippingdevices, the transfer of the CD-ROMs may be controlled in a moreefficient manner which allows the CD-ROMs to be continuously supplied tothe testing stations and tested therein without any interruption so asto significantly increase the efficiency in testing a great number ofCD-ROMs. Also, the quality control of the CD-ROMs is also ensured withthe system of the present invention for the test is carried outcompletely automatically. Since the system is controlled and operatingfully automatically and since only computer software is needed incontrolling the whole process, human labour needed in the testingprocess is minimized and this helps cutting the manufacturing cost down.Meanwhile, using the software to control the test process also offersthe advantage of flexibility in testing CD-ROMs of differentrequirements.

The above description is made with respect to the preferred embodimentof the present invention and for those skilled in the art, it ispossible to make a variety of modifications and changes to theabove-described specific embodiment without departing from the scope andspirit of the present invention. All these modifications and changesshould be considered within the scope of the present invention asdefined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A multiple station CD-ROM testing apparatuscomprising a first gripping device, a conveyance device for moving anumber of CD-ROMs fed into the apparatus in a longitudinal direction, amultiple station testing device comprising a plurality of testingstations, a second gripping device, a collection device and acontrolling device, wherein:the first gripping device comprising apick-up arm extending above the conveyance device to sequentially pickup the CD-ROMs and position the picked-up CD-ROMs into each of thetesting stations of the multiple station testing device to allow theCD-ROMs to be tested in the testing stations and to remove the testedCD-ROMs out of the multiple station testing device; the conveyancedevice is arranged to extend in the longitudinal direction for movingthe CD-ROMs to the first gripping device and the second gripping device,the conveyance device comprising CD-ROM positioning means for preciselypositioning the CD-ROMs at locations along the conveyance device thatcorrespond to the first and second gripping devices; the multiplestation testing device comprises a multiple level configuration having aplurality of levels arranged to be above each other in a vertical stackfashion, each of the levels defining at least one of the testingstations; the second gripping device is arranged to pick up the testedCD-ROMs that are removed out of the multiple station testing device bythe first gripping device and position the picked up CD-ROMs to carriermeans for moving to a next processing station; and the controllingdevice comprising a programmable logic control and a personal computerwhich are operable by software pre-loaded therein to control operationof the system and store test result of the CD-ROMs in the personalcomputer.
 2. The multiple station CD-ROM testing system as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the first gripping device is arranged at an outer sideof the conveyance device, comprising two upright posts extendingvertically and located at the outer side of the conveyance device, anendless belt surrounding two pulleys respectively arranged at upper andlower ends of the upright posts and supported between the posts, a motorarranged on an outer side of the posts and coupled to the belt via thepulleys to move the belt, the pick-up arm which has one end fixed to thebelt to be movable therewith and slidably engaging one of the posts tobe guided thereby, a counter weight fixed to the belt and slidablyengaging the other one of the posts to be symmetric to the pick-up arm,and a power cylinder fixed to the pick-up arm and extending over theconveyance device with suction cups mounted to a cylinder rod of thepower cylinder so that when the motor is activated by the controllingdevice, the pick-up arm is moved along the post via the pulleys and thebelt, the counter weight serving to stabilise the movement of thepick-up arm along the post, the suction cups and the power cylinderbeing controlled by the controlling device to engage and pick up theCD-ROMs on the conveyance device and transfer the picked-up CD-ROMs intoeach of the testing stations of the multiple station testing device andto pick up and remove the tested CD-ROMs out of the testing stations. 3.The multiple station CD-ROM testing system as claimed in claim 1,wherein the conveyance device is arranged between the first grippingdevice and the multiple station testing device, comprising a rollerconveyor comprising two support frames defining two sides of theconveyance device, a plurality of rollers supported by and extendingbetween the two support frames and a chain disposed along one of thesupport frames and drivingly engaging the rollers, two laterallyarranged power cylinders located under a central section of the rollerconveyor and having cylinder rods opposite to each other to respectivelydrive two guide plates of the positioning means which are spaced fromeach other and are laterally movably fit over some of the rollers of thecentral section to change the spacing therebetween, a verticallyextending power cylinder arranged under the roller conveyor and betweenthe two guide plates, the vertically extending power cylinder having acylinder rod extending vertically to move a laterally extending stopplate of the positioning means which is arranged between and movablewith respect to two adjacent ones of the rollers for selectivelystopping the movement of the CD-ROMs along the conveyance device toprecisely position the CD-ROMs under suction cups of the first grippingdevice so as to allow the suction cups to engage and pick up theCD-ROMs, the spacing between the two guide plates defining a passagethrough which the CD-ROMs that are not stopped by the stop plate moveand are guided to a position under the suction cups of the secondgripping device to be engaged by the suction cups of the second grippingdevice.
 4. The multiple station CD-ROM testing system as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the second gripping device is arranged on inner side ofthe conveyance device and between the multiple station testing deviceand the controlling device, comprising a laterally extending rail havingan end fixed to four upright bars of the multiple station testing deviceand an opposite end extending transverse to and above a roller conveyorof the conveyance device, an endless belt surrounding two pulleysdisposed on the rail, a motor fixed to the rail and coupled to thepulleys for driving the belt, a suction cup support fixed to the belt tobe movable therewith and slidably engaging the rail to be guided therebyso that the suction cup support is movable along the rail by the motorvia the belt and the pulleys, suction cups mounted to the suction cupsupport for picking up/positioning the CD-ROMs from/to the conveyancedevice, an L-shaped bracket having a first branch fixed to andhorizontally extending from the upright bars of the multiple stationtesting device and a second branch extending vertically downward towhich a plate-like rail is fixed, having a central spacing slidablyaccommodating therein a slide plate which is movable relative to thebracket by being sliding within and guided by the plate-like rail, astop plate fixed to the slide plate and movable therewith so as to bepositionable at such a location with respect to the roller conveyor asto stop the movement of the CD-ROMs along the roller conveyor, a powercylinder fixed to the plate-like rail and having a cylinder rod coupledto the stop plate so that by means of the guidance of the movement ofthe slide plate provided by the plate-like rail and by means of theactuation of the power cylinder, the stop plate may be selectivelydriven to the position with respect to the roller conveyor for stoppingthe movement of the CD-ROMs to allow the suction cups to engage and pickup and transfer the CD-ROMs to the carrier means.
 5. The multiplestation CD-ROM testing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carriermeans comprises a support tray which is moved by and along theconveyance device to transport the CD-ROM supported therein to the nextprocessing station.
 6. The multiple station CD-ROM testing system asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the multiple station testing device isarranged at an inner side of the conveyance device, comprising aparallelepiped framework defined by four upright bars and having aninterior space within which a plurality of horizontal plates areprovided and fixed to the upright bars to each define a level of themultiple level configuration, each of the levels having at least one ofthe testing stations provided thereon.
 7. The multiple station CD-ROMtesting system as claimed in claim 6, wherein each of the testingstations comprises a power supply for supplying power to the testingstation, a main board for controlling testing operation performed by thetesting station, a power cylinder for driving an arm having suctionmeans supported thereon adapted to pick up and transfer an optic diskbetween a disk support and a CD-ROM positioned in the testing station, aplurality of support legs, each having a recess for receiving andsupporting the CD-ROM to constitute a CD-ROM holder for firmlysupporting and holding the CD-ROM to be tested, a set of power andsignal connectors arranged on a rear side of the CD-ROM holder forsupply of power to the CD-ROM to be tested and transmission of signalstherebetween and a button actuator arranged on a front side of theCD-ROM holder for actuating push buttons of the CD-ROM to be tested inorder to test the CD-ROM.
 8. The multiple station CD-ROM testing systemas claimed in claim 1, wherein the collection device is arranged underthe second gripping device, comprising a screw rod rotatably supportedbetween two support plates which are fixed to four upright bars of themultiple station testing device, a movable member arranged between thesupport plates and drivingly engaged by the screw rod with the carriermeans mounted thereto to support CD-ROMs stacked thereon, a motor fixedto the support plate and coupled to the screw rod for driving the screwrod to move the collection tray along the screw rod.
 9. The multiplestation CD-ROM testing system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the carriermeans comprises a collection tray on which a plurality of CD-ROMs arestacked to be transferred to the next processing station and wherein thenext processing station comprises a manual inspection/repairing station.